Three times' blooming in a Hani's life

Hani is an ancient people with a long history and splendid culture. In the long running of the development process, Hani people has formed its own unique ethnic customs.

Hani people compare the three important stages in their life, means, the birth, marriage and death to three times'blooming of their life.

(A) Birth 

New life's born is always heralding the arrival of new hopes, no matter what kind of people he is. It's exactly the same for Hani people. 

When walking in a Hani village, if you get sight of yellow bubble thorns, or bamboo leaves cut into a little boy's like above the door of a house, then there must have got some new baby born in this house. While the bubble thorns means the baby is a girl, the bamboo leaves means it's a boy. The newborn will be held out of the room exactly on the third day of their birth, to worship the heaven and earth as well as the sun. On this day naming ceremony is held for the baby, which is supposed the first blooming of one Hani person's life. 

People survives by working. As one of the most hard-working nations, Hani people are all in filled with working ethnic since the day they were born. As long as he has worshiped the heaven and earth, the new born Hani baby is expected to begin learning to be a human. On this day, the host will invite a number of 7to 8-year-old children with some working tools. These children will teach the first lesson of one's life to the newborn: one little boy will dig a few hoes with a small hoe on the ground in the presence of newborn male infant; If it's a female newborn, then a little girl is expected to play the fish catching or millet harvesting.

(B) Marriage 

Hani people traditional Outlook on Love is very characteristics, it can be summarized as "free relationships and arranged marriage." 

Have been living such an isolated cottage life, Hani people's love and marriage things start early. Here's their old saying going like "Boys and girls need match at early teen years" Although it appears to be a bad habit, the "matching" process is in all means romantic.

The traditional Hani courtship approach is to climb the flames-putting-out floor. This so-called kind of floor is the triangle formed by two sloping space on the flattened and thatched cottage top.

Hani girls in their early teens are allowed to make themselves up, and get onto the flames-putting-off floor which has a window newly open, waiting for boys'courting. On the other hand, boys at this age will sing and play musical instruments under girls' window.  If one boy wins the girl's affection, the girl will open the window and let the boy climbing in for their romantic night together.

This kind of things last for several years till they come to the age to get married. In fact, during this period neither the boy nor the girl is responsible for their immature relationship. They could each change their own partners, and there's no ethic limitation. Hani people's marriage finally turn out to be determined by the parents. Boys would ask their favorite girls to meet their parents first, if the parents are satisfied, then it's a whole family's happiness; otherwise, boys have to marry girls that the parents picked.

In any case, Hani people's attitude towards marriage is undoubtedly holy-they call it the life's second blooming. About two years before the arranged marriage wedding, Girls begin to make their own dowry: the wedding dress. Usually the wedding dress is decorated with silver accessories allover and is all the wealth that the girl's family owns.

(C) Death 

In Hani people's conception, it's not right to behave sadly on the lost person's funeral; incredibly, people would sing and dance to farewell the lost one's soul returning to their ancestors. Life and death are always coming together as if they were twins. So death is in all means foreshadowing new life's coming. 

The holiest standard of Hani people's funeral is known as "Mo Cuocuo", which is held only for the eldest generation of the family. Data show that "Mo" in Hani language mean the respected old people; "Cuo" means dance. "Mo Cuocuo" means dancing farewell to the old respected people. On this day, people attending the funeral would put on their most beautiful dresses, sing and dance while talking and laughing. They believe that the lost one had always been living a happy life and set the lives an good example; though they are physically dead, their soul will live forever.

Thus, the last times'blooming of a Hani person's life finished on his final funeral.